The council also mandated on a motion from Mayor Protem Danny Dunagan that the back exit from the Yonah Burger onto Green Street Circle be left-turn only and that traffic controls be installed to keep motorists from turning right onto Green Street Circle. Owner Gary Haynes said the drive through with its required left turn would help keep traffic out of the neighborhood.
"We were trying to help the neighborhood by doing a left turn exit only," Haynes said. "We feel by putting the drive-through in we're going to divert at least 70 percent of what comes into the store out on Thompson Bridge Road. Had we not put the drive-through in they (customers) had freedom to go right or left on Green Street Circle."
Haynes has plans to open the new Yonah Burger by next spring.
Mayor Bruner said her vote represented Green Hill Circle homeowner concerns about encroachment from so called 'cut-through' traffic from the restaurant.
"Even with only a left turn exit from the drive-through, they're afraid that there will be a lot of traffic going out on back of Green Street Circle that would bog down traffic," the Mayor said. "They understand their street better than anybody else."
Council approved an eight inch concrete barrier making it difficult to turn right leaving the restaurant and decided to consider an ordinance prohibiting a right turn, but withhold action unless motorists refuse to turn left. Mayor Bruner also said the rezoning requires Yonah Burger to practice noise abatement.
"They're going to have drive-through speakers on the side instead of in back, so it won't be that the speaker faces the neighborhood," Bruner said. "Hopefully that will give some protection; residents did not want to hear the loud speaker."
Yonah Burger owner Gary Haynes listens as City Council approves his Thompson Bridge Road location
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/11/233818